1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to helicopters and particularly to means for transmitting power from the output shaft of an engine to the angularly related main rotor drive shaft of the helicopter. Such a power transmitting means usually consists of an angle gear box in which the meshing bevel gears are mounted on bearings carried by the gear box. A freewheel unit is associated with the gear box, either externally thereof or within the gear box which in flight enables the rotor to continue to rotate in autorotation free from the engine if the latter is stopped or is rotating very slowly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior to this invention all the elements of the transmission were either enclosed in a single gear box, in which case it was extremely difficult or impossible to gain access to critical units of the transmission, or various units were mounted externally of the gear box where they could be serviced. Where elements of the transmission could be removed, this could be done only by disturbing other elements of the gear train which require critical adjustment in reassembly.